The present invention is an electrical connector assembly having a pair of shells interconnected by a coupling nut wherein an effective electromagnetic interference shield is provided to protect the contacts contained within the assembly from external electromagnetic interference.
As an example of the type of electrical connector assemblies to which the present invention may be applied, attention is drawn to U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,990 which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and which is incorporated by reference herein. In that patent, an anti-decoupling mechanism is described for use with a connector assembly formed from a first metal shell containing socket type contacts within an insert, a second metal shell containing pin type contacts within an insert, these contacts matable, and a coupling ring which maintains the two shells and the contacts contained therein in a mated relationship.
In such electrical contact assemblies, the first metal shell generally has a flange thereabout against which the end wall of the second shell will abut when the assembly is united. A problem exists, however, in such assemblies in that unless the end wall of the second shell and flange of the first shell are in metal to metal contact, a leakage path may result and the contacts within the interior of the connectors may be subjected to electromagnetic interference. Such interference, often designated EMI, is that electromagnetic energy which interrupts, obstructs or otherwise degrades or limits effective performance of telecommunications equipment or subsystems. While the use of very close tolerances is attempted in order to assure metal to metal contact of the flange of the first shell with the end wall of the second shell, due to the accumulation of tolerance, such contact can seldom be definitely obtained and a gap therebetween will result, which gap will increase within the tolerance accumulation range, and which gap is a potential electromagnetic leakage path.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector assembly that is formed of a minimum number of parts and readily manufactured and which assures metal to metal contact between the shells of the connector to preclude electromagnetic interference with the contacts contained therein.